Jennifer Aniston has opened up about her 20-year battle to become a mother, revealing she went through many rounds of IVF – and now she’s explained why she didn’t adopt
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Jennifer Aniston shares why she chose not to adopt amid 20-year fertility battle(Image: Jamie McCarthy, Getty Images)
Jennifer Aniston didn’t adopt a child during her struggle to become a mother because she wanted to have her “own DNA in a little person”. The former Friends star, 56, recently opened up about her 20-year battle to start a family – revealing she went through many rounds of unsuccessful IVF treatments – and now she’s explained why she didn’t turned to adoption.
During an appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast, Jennifer said: “When people say: ‘But you can adopt’. I don’t want to adopt. I want my own DNA in a little person. That’s the only way, selfish or not, whatever that is, I’ve wanted it.”
Co-host Monica Padman asked the actress if she’s found “peace” after her fertility struggles and Jennifer replied: “It’s so peaceful. But I will say there’s a point where it’s like out of my control. There’s literally nothing I can do about it.”
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Jennifer acknowledged she has had relationships with men and thought they “would have made some good kids” but she admits the thought often passed “within three seconds”.
She went on to add: “It [having kids] just wasn’t in the plan, whatever the plan was. It’s very emotional, especially in the moment when they say ‘that’s it,’ because there is a weird moment when that happens.”
The Morning Show star previously opened up about her fertility battles back in 2022 when she revealed to Allure magazine: “My late 30s, 40s, I’d gone through really hard s***, and if it wasn’t for going through that, I would’ve never become who I was meant to be. I was trying to get pregnant.
“It was really hard. I was going through IVF, drinking Chinese teas, you name it. I was throwing everything at it.
“I would’ve given anything if someone had said to me: ‘Freeze your eggs. Do yourself a favour.’ You just don’t think it. So here I am today. The ship has sailed. But I have zero regrets.”
Jennifer discussed her ordeal once more in a recent chat with Harper’s Bazaar UK, confessing she despised the “false narrative” that she chose not to have children because she’s a “workaholic”.
She revealed: “They didn’t know my story, or what I’d been going through over the past 20 years to try to pursue a family, because I don’t go out there and tell them my medical woes.
“That’s not anybody’s business. But there comes a point when you can’t not hear it – the narrative about how I won’t have a baby, won’t have a family, because I’m selfish, a workaholic.
“It does affect me – I’m just a human being. We’re all human beings. That’s why I thought: ‘What the hell?'”.
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Cameroon opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary has unilaterally declared victory in the country’s presidential election.
Tchiroma made the statement in a nearly five-minute speech posted to social media early on Tuesday. Although official channels have not declared results, he urged long-term incumbent, 92-year-old President Paul Biya, to call him to concede.
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“The people have chosen, and this choice must be respected,” Tchiroma demanded in the video.
However, the government warned earlier this week that only results announced by the Constitutional Council can be considered official. The body has almost two weeks to make the announcement.
A former government spokesman and ally of Biya for 20 years, Tchiroma was considered the top contender to unseat Biya in Sunday’s elections.
After he resigned from the government in June, his campaign drew large crowds and key endorsements from a coalition of opposition parties and civic groups.
But Biya – in power for 43 years and the world’s oldest serving head of state – has been widely expected to secure another seven-year term in office, given his tight grip on state machinery and the fragmented nature of the opposition.
Cameroon’s government has not responded officially to Tchiroma’s declaration.
However, Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji warned recently that only the Constitutional Council has the authority to announce the winner, and that any unilateral publication of results would be considered “high treason”.
Cameroon’s electoral law allows results to be published and posted at individual polling stations, but final tallies must be validated by the Constitutional Council, which has until October 26 to announce the outcome, the Reuters news agency reported.
Issa Tchiroma Bakary casts his vote in Garoua, Cameroon, on Sunday [File: Desire Danga Essigue/Reuters]
‘Honour’ the ballot box
In the video, filmed in his northern hometown of Garoua in front of the national flag, Tchiroma urged Biya to “honour the truth of the ballot box”, and to concede and offer congratulations.
Doing so, he said, would be a mark of Cameroon’s political maturity and the strength of its democracy.
The election results, he said, represent “a clear sanction” of Biya’s administration and marked “the beginning of a new era”.
Tchiroma also thanked rival candidates “who have already congratulated me and recognised the will of the people”.
He called on government institutions and the military to recognise his victory and “stay on the side of the republic”.
Meghan Markle is said to be preparing for ‘yet another relaunch’ in the world of business following her deals with Netflix, Spotify and her jam business As Ever
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Meghan Markle is said to be preparing for ‘yet another relaunch’ in the world of business(Image: Bloomberg Originals)
Meghan Markle is said to be preparing for ‘yet another relaunch’ in the world of business. The former actress, 44, famously married Prince Harry in 2018 but they rescinded their royal duties just two years later so they could live out a more private life in LA.
Since then, the pair have fronted multi-million dollar documentaries, and Meghan hosted a short-lived podcast on Spotify. In 2022, the couple starred in Harry & Meghan for Netflix, and she went on to front the lifestyle series With Love, Meghan for the streamer, which has so far ran for two seasons and is yet to be renewed for a third. The couple currently have a ‘multi-year, first look deal for film and television projects’ with Netflix.
What’s more, Meghan also heads up her company As Ever, and famously launched it by sending out samples of her jam to her celebrity pals earlier this year but was said to be feeling ‘lost’ as the whole thing appeared to have not worked out.
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Now, a PR guru has claimed that the former Suits star is gearing up to reinvent herself again. They told the Daily Mail : “It’s Meghan 3.0. She’s on manoeuvres and looking for yet another relaunch.” It all comes as Meghan is set to lecture as a ‘high-profile business founder’ at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women summit in Washington DC, and will feature in a lineup with former US presidential candidate Kamala Harris and actress Selena Gomez.
Since its launch in April, Meghan’s As Ever brand has released a variety of products, including wine, with several collections selling out within minutes. Yet, no official sales figures have ever been disclosed.
A friend close to the Duchess told the Daily Mail: “At the moment she is literally lost because the whole jam-making business did not work out in the way she thought it would.” “Nobody has seen any figures, but I don’t think they are that good. I know they just released a Sauvignon Blanc, but it’s not going to make her lots of money because Netflix owns the business.”
Netflix is a partner in As Ever, with Alison Boshoff from the outlet stating: “This would be disputed by Meghan, but certainly the streamer is an investor and will be taking a big slice of any profits.
“It is also heavily involved in running the business as Meghan, despite her talk of being a ‘female founder’, is entirely inexperienced in commerce.” During an interview with Bloomberg this summer, Meghan stated that Netflix is her only partner and investor in As Ever.
When asked about her vision for her brand, she responded, “I don’t want it to feel generic, cookie-cutter, or phoned in.” However, a friend of the Duchess told the outlet: “She just wants to make money, she wants to be a billionaire The trouble is, she doesn’t know how.”
The Duchess recently took to her brand’s lifestyle brand’s Instagram page to quietly share that a new wine would be added to the range: a 2024 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.
Meghan subtly announced the new offering with a coded post on social media, with the caption reading: “We heard you missed us. We’re back…and we brought a friend.” With one hidden post about the new tipple shared online, Meghan then jetted to France for her whirlwind appearance at Paris Fashion Week, with her new wine flying under the radar.
Meghan’s two-picture post on Instagram first showcased a gift box of her famous apricot spread and orange marmalade, both of which are already staples in the As Ever range, before another image shows a bottle of the new wine in an ice bucket.
The official As Ever website revealed more about the white wine, which is the third varietal of wine available for sale from the Duchess of Sussex’s brand.
“Our first Sauvignon Blanc is bright and balanced, with citrus aromatics, a smooth finish, and refreshing versatility,” an official description says. “Crafted for everyday dinners and celebratory gatherings alike, this thoughtfully made wine is perfect for sharing, gifting, and savouring in every season.”
Priced at $30 (£22) per bottle and sold in sets of three ($90), half cases ($159) and full cases ($300), As Ever’s new Sauvignon Blanc is priced the same as the line’s 2024 Napa Valley Rosé and the sold-out 2023 Napa Valley Rosé.
Former British Olympic athletics coach Jose Vicente Leiva-Modahl has been charged with child sex offences, the Crown Prosecution Service has announced.
Leiva-Modahl, 65 – the husband of former Olympic middle-distance runner Diane Modahl – will appear in court on Tuesday to face 19 separate charges including sexual assault of a child, rape and controlling and coercive behaviour.
All charges relate to the same woman between 2012 and 2024, the CPS said.
It follows an investigation by Greater Manchester Police into Norwegian national Leiva-Modahl, who is also known as Vicente Modahl.
“The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute Vicente Leiva-Modahl for a number of serious sex offences, including offences relating to child sexual abuse,” deputy chief crown prosecutor James Bolton-Smith said.
“Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.
“We have worked closely with Greater Manchester Police as they carried out their investigation.”
The site sells pre-loved items from top high street brands and designer labels, all for a fraction of the original price – but it’s not without its annoyances and writer Sophie Grubb shared her experience
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Have you ever heard about Thrift Plus UK? (Stock Image)(Image: Getty Images)
The second-hand clothing market has experienced a revival in recent years, with shoppers turning to online apps or visiting charity shops and vintage markets. Some are rejecting fast fashion due to its environmental impact, while others are looking to save money amidst the cost of living crisis.
Sophie Grubb’s motivation is a combination of both, along with the excitement of finding a bargain – if she ever goes missing in a shop, you’ll likely find her rummaging through the sale rail without any shame. Bristol boasts some fantastic charity shops, so Sophie prefers browsing in-store rather than scrolling online, having thus far avoided downloading Vinted, Depop or any other second-hand marketplace platforms.
However, targeted advertising on social media seems frighteningly attuned to her tastes these days, and Sophie was drawn in when she saw a clip on Instagram promoting ‘pre-loved’ items from a place called Thrift Plus UK. She’d never heard of it before, but the influencer or model was tearing into a bag of stunning big-brand clothes with tags still attached, all priced at less than a fiver each.
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Sceptically, Sophie first checked out the reviews on TrustPilot, before venturing onto the site to understand why it’s so suspiciously cheap. Apparently, it was launched by its London founder in 2017, who was frustrated with fast fashion but recognised the reputation of second-hand as ‘fusty and dusty’, complete with blurry photos and slow service.
They brand themselves as ‘smartened-up second-hand’ – customers can bag up items to sell and they’ll handle the quality checks, photographing, listing, packaging and dispatch all from their warehouse, also offering free 30-day returns for buyers. They sift through the clothing to favour ‘top high street and designer brands’, adding their own Thrift+ tag so it even feels like buying new, reports Bristol Live.
Any items not accepted for sale will reportedly be donated to charity partners, with £1.5m listed as the amount raised so far. Reassured by this spiel, Sophie began browsing and was impressed to see that you can filter by brand. There’s a long list of familiar high street favourites like Zara, H&M, & Other Stories and Mango as well as high-end designer names including Gucci, YSL, Jimmy Choo and Versace.
There are (overwhelmingly) tens of thousands of items to explore but you can use the search tool if you’re after something specific, although she found that to be a bit glitchy. It was easy though to filter by product category, size and condition – you can even whittle it down to ‘brand new with tags’ if you’re worried about signs of wear.
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Some of the higher-end items Sophie spotted still seemed expensive, like £600 for a Chanel top, but she sorted price low-high and was met with literally thousands of items listed at £3.50. The photo quality was far better than you’d see on the likes of eBay, although with really dark or really light fabrics it was hard to make out the detail.
The descriptions she read didn’t provide much information, but Sophie had some success using Google Lens to search the photo and locate the original listing on the brand’s actual website, where she found the full description and even reviews (in the case of H&M). The Thrift listings do include the size, but she recommends checking against the pictures of the label, as some UK sizes seemed to be confused with US sizes.
Some items were also mislabelled, such as a playsuit listed as a dress or a mini skirt listed as a maxi skirt. Nonetheless, there were some incredible bargains. Sophie stumbled upon a dusky pink H&M maxi dress that looked like it was from their bridesmaid or occasion range, priced at just £4.30, or a lemon-yellow ASOS jacket perfect for spring at £3.50.
Sophie ended up ordering a £5 New Balance sports top, a £5 coatigan from Native Youth, a £5 playsuit from Next, a £4 Oasis shirt, a stunning beaded Zara dress for just £4, a Monki dress for £5 and a New Look playsuit for £3.50, plus £3.95 for delivery via Evri.
Funny enough, she admits that she got a bit carried away with the prices. Normally, Sophie would limit herself to just two or three items if she was buying new, as she’s not one for going on a big shopping spree.
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However, given that the clothes were second-hand and so affordable, Sophie felt less guilty about purchasing them. Her package arrived in the post after four days, and she was delighted to find all the neatly-folded clothes unpackaged inside when she opened it. Sophie absolutely detests the unnecessary plastic wrap you typically get with online clothing orders.
She was eager to try everything on but noticed a few disappointing details even as she was unpacking. Some of the beading was coming undone on the Zara dress, despite it being described as ‘like new’, and the coatigan felt bobbly rather than soft to the touch.
The gym top, however, was in pristine condition – she would have been over the moon if she’d found that in a charity shop for a fiver, considering that the brand’s tops usually sell new for around £30-£50. That was definitely a keeper, as was the Next playsuit which was also like-new and featured beautiful broderie embroidery perfect for summer, along with handy pockets. If she saw that new in store, she’d expect it to be priced at about £35-£40 given the quality of the fabric.
Sophie was fond of the Monki dress, but it didn’t quite fit her right, and the same went for the New Look playsuit, which also had a faulty adjuster on one of the straps. Sophie almost kept the shirt as well, but one of the button fastenings was slightly gaping due to wear – an issue that could easily be overlooked during quality checks unless you actually tried it on.
The returns process was straightforward enough, simply requiring a QR code download and a trip to a Post Office or Evri point, with the refund appearing in her bank account a few days later. While Sophie can’t speak for the experience as a seller, she’d certainly consider returning as a buyer if she wanted to update her wardrobe without resorting to the high street.
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Although her choices were a bit of a mixed bag, this is a risk with any online purchase, given that you’re relying on a digital photo rather than something you can see, touch, and try on. Sophie still has a soft spot for charity shop trips for this reason, and she appreciates knowing that her money is going towards a good cause, but the vast selection means she’ll likely be tempted to go ‘thrifting’ more frequently. Primark shoppers are raving about the ‘retro’ pyjama range that is ‘very 70s’.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw for two touchdowns but could not prevent his side from losing 24-14 to the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL.
Allen, last season’s Most Valuable Player, threw for 180 yards but also two interceptions as the Bills were beaten for a second straight game.
A Tyler Allgeier touchdown put the Falcons in front before Allen threw for Dawson Knox to go over the line.
A Drake London score and Bijan Robinson’s 81-yard touchdown run put the Falcons 21-7 up, but Allen found Ray Davis to reduce the deficit to 21-14.
Bears stun Commanders with late field goal
A last-gasp 38-yard Jake Moody field goal on the final play gave the Chicago Bears a 25-24 victory at the Washington Commanders.
“It feels amazing,” said Moody, who was making his Bears debut. “To get all that support from all my team-mates after the game, it was an amazing feeling.”
Two Moody field goals and a touchdown from quarterback Caleb Williams put Chicago 13-0 up before Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels found Chris Moore to reduce the deficit to six points at Northwest Stadium.
Matt Gay and Moody traded field goals before Daniels threw to Luke McCaffrey and Zach Ertz for touchdowns as Washington opened up a 24-16 lead.
D’Andre Swift went over the line for Chicago before Moody sealed victory.
“That’s who we are. We fight,” said Williams, who threw for one touchdown and 252 yards.
